Happy New Year lovely readers! Brand new year, brand new resolutions yeah? I love a good resolution, problem is, the minute I start implementing those well-intentioned plans, the good old work/life treadmill starts up and before I know it, my Mojo has packed its bags and flown out to some exotic dream destination. A few years ago It had good reason to for I’d just returned from six months wandering Europe at leisure, free from schedules, deadlines and accountabilities other than to myself, ‘cept for the occasional challenge of deciphering train schedules…and the thought of that eventual return to normality.
That year, my Mojo chose to stay on a particularly spectacular little beach on the Côte d’Azur while I desperately struggled to resume the life I once knew.
Emotions ran riot. My writing suffered. I spent endless energy searching for the next big thing, lost appreciation for what I already had and felt ashamed for doing so. Had my company not offered stimulating projects, my posse of loving friends their quiet support, and the discovery of four simple steps (outlined below) I’m sure my whining would have resulted in a one way ticket to a land far, far away, an airport escort and a chorus of ‘don’t come back y’hear!’
Has your Mojo given you the slip?
If your Mojo’s taken a holiday, feel reassured that a couple of days in a downward direction won’t kill you. However, as I found, it’s extremely easy to keep heading downhill. The climb back up is way more challenging. In fact, it requires constant effort.
How to bring that Mojo back…
- Make a list of at least five areas in your life and work that are important to you
- Resolve to take at least one action, every day, to improve that area of your life.
- Schedule those actions into your daily routine.
- Execute your plan.
Need a few ideas?
Health: Sign up and participate in at least one health-enhancing activity
Family: Make at least one person in your family feel incredibly loved
Friendships: Check-in on at least two friends weekly
Work: Put your hand up to lead at least one project that will make you a valued employee
Network: Call or email at least one business contact weekly
Finance: Take at least one action that will give you more control over your finances
Creativity: Do at least one creative activity that’s not business-related
Growth: Engage in at least two brain-stimulating activities
Home: Make at least one enhancement to your abode
Spiritual: Choose just one activity that will give you a chance to breathe, re-energise, regroup
Once you’ve recorded your activities, contract with yourself to meet those resolutions, day after day, week after week. When I implemented similar, I found my activity created upward momentum in other areas in my life that I’d previously neglected and allowed to head downhill.
I also discovered that because each small action was actively contributing to these important aspects of my life, I found myself doing more than the minimum I’d resolved to do. Try it for a week and, once you feel the upward momentum, you won’t want to stop and before you know it…why hello Mojo?…welcome back my friend.
Would love to hear your hints for reenergizing, feel free to drop a comment.
